I rubbed the back of my bruised neck, listening to them talk in a bit of a daze, I had told them what I had seen. There was an Interloper in Michigan, and none too friendly either.
“I thought Balthazar brought all of the Interlopers to this world and they all died because they or their daemons died before they could join together.” Sam said.
I shot him a cold stare, “All of them died huh?”
Dean corrected his brother, “Well almost all of them at any rate.”
“So what do we do?” Breanna asked, “And what would interlopers want with a bunch of cows anyways?”
Shaking my head uncertainly, I replied, “Even Interlopers aren’t that bloodthirsty. One couldn’t take down that many animals in one night,”
Breanna’s eyes widened, “There must be more than! So they can herd them.”
“Herd them where?” Dean asked her and she shrugged, unable to answer.
How could there be that many interlopers wandering about though? To do that big of a job requires lots of effort and planning. I would be amazed if there would be at least two Interlopers, and if there was…why didn’t Balthazar use them instead of me?
Unless….
“Sam, is it possible for an Interloper to be created by another Interloper?”
He looked at me unsure, “Well, it’s a possibility, shape shifters can,”
“It might explain why there’s any left at all, maybe one of Balthazar’s trials didn’t try to help Sam and Dean, they just ignored the visions, and ended up creating more Interlopers along the way.” Breanna answered.
I did not even want to fathom how many more creatures this Interloper created. I did not even know how.
***
Odysseus should have known, “You failed Dimitri,” He growled at the ebony wolf. “And on top of your foolishness and getting caught, another Interloper might be dead, found by some hunters, do you know the one major rule that Dick Roman makes us swear by?”
“Monster’s are not real,” Dimitri sighed, “I’m sorry, I just didn’t—”
“Expect another Interloper to get in the way!?” Odysseus roared, his black eyes glaring at the young man and the cougar at his feet. She stood quietly, the a single feather tucked into her golden hair.
“We are so sorry sir,” She apologized, “We can hit up the farm tomorrow, if you wish.”
“No, they’ll have the place crawling with insects now that they’ve seen a full sized wolf on the property, did you see this wolf at all, Breanna?”
“No sir,” The feline answered confidently, “If I had, she would have been dead before any Hunters could have laid eyes on her,”
“If anything like this happens again, I want you to report directly back with me,” Odysseus warned.
“What about the girl?” Dimitri asked, Odyseus stared at him angrily, then his eyes fell on Breanna.
“My dear, can you use your abilities to see if she is alive? And if she is, try to convert her.”
Breanna’s olive, feline eyes turned cold, the last thing she wanted was another wolf Interloper on their side, “And if she refuses?”
Odysseus said solemnly, “Then as much as it troubles me, kill her, before anyone else can.”
***
THE NEXT MORNING
***
I looked around the town with some mild interest, while I clicked my fingers against the steering wheel. It was so much like my home in my world, the clean washed windows and the murals painted along the edge of the city, which my friend Jonathan had done.
“So this is your home?” Dean asked, looking at me curiously.
“Well yea, but no,” I answered as we sat outside the gas station in the car. “This looks the same as my home world, but I’ve never considered it home,”
“What is home for you then?”
“My house is my home,” I answered, “That holds more memories for me than any city. When we get done with this case, maybe I will show you.”
I stared thoughtfully down the road that led to home. It was so close. I wanted to do more than show him my home, I wanted him to be a part of it, for him to become part of my paradise. The place that wasn’t paradise without him.
“What’s on your mind?” Dean asked.
If I would have told him I would have sounded like a fool. “Uh, nothing. I just hope we can wrap up this case soon.”
Breanna and Sam got into the car, their arms full of goodies and drinks. Isis almost jumped in her lap.
“Are you guys all set?” I asked turning around from the drivers seat. They nodded. “Ok then, lets—” Suddenly it felt as if my head had been struck by a bat.
I cried out in pain, clenching my head with the palm of my hand. Trying to control and supress the pain.
It was not working.
“Hope—what’s wrong?” Breanna asked with worry.
“….I think—” Blurred edges found around the edge of my vision, and I lost consciousness.
Tire track trails led into a patch of deciduous forest,
a blurred green sign catching my vision,
old books catching dust.
Feline olive eyes gazing at me intensely.
I heard a vaguely familiar voice….
So…you are alive Interloper.
***
3rd Person P.O.V
***
“Hope—Hope?” Dean said panic-stricken as she lay limply in his lap. After a moment she stirred, she sat up clutching her head tightly, followed by mild swearing. She righted herself in the drivers seat, breathing heavily.
“What did you see?” Dean asked, taking her hand tightly.
“I…I can’t explain it.” Hope answered, “I had the feeling someone was looking for me, but then I had an instant pull to go somewhere…a place.”
“Where?” Sam asked.
“Well, its nearby.”
“Well good,” Dean said, “Now maybe we’ll get some answers.”
Hope got out of the driver’s side, worried she would have another vision while driving. “Here, you guys drive,” I’ll tell you where to go.”
***
HOPE'S P.O.V
***
I ordered him to stop about a block away from the place I was about to enter, we were out in the rural countryside now.
“You can’t come with me,” I said as I flung my door open. Dean flung his door open, along with Sam, Breanna and Isis.
“The hell we can’t!” Dean and Breanna said in unison, pausing only a moment to recognize the others thoughts.
“They’ll pick up on your scents,” I said. “Plus this I don’t think this is their home base, so you wouldn’t be able to take it out in one shot.”
“Fine, we wont get in but we are getting closer.” Dean answered.
Sam nodded in agreement, “We’ll hide the car in nearby brush, in case you need help.”
I was grateful. “Thank you.”
***
As I approached the old farmhouse I could sense my daemons nerves begin to elevate, as well as my own. My heart raced, there were more nearby. Maybe I was wrong, maybe this was their hideout.
There were a few cars parked outside, one of them being a fancy black Cadillac. I ducked into bushes, creeping along the edge of the house. I heard wind whistling through the house, meaning the windows were open.
***
“Did you hear the news?” Dick Roman asked, looking at Odysseus in curiously.
The grizzly asked cautiously. “No,”
“There has been reports of large animals in the area, everything from a wolf to a bear has been sighted by civilians.”
“Is that so,” Odysseus asked, looking at Breanna and Dimitri, along with a couple of their other followers. “Well, you know how civilians talk,” He answered as he watched Breanna’s eyes flick outside, then she left the room.
Dick Roman’s eyes narrowed, and he grabbed Odysseus by the collar and threw him into the neighboring wall. Odysseus let out a low growl, his eyes gleaming with wilderness.
“I also, heard about your little stunt with the neighboring farms, grabbing more than your quota. Now I do not care about how you and your little animals get them, but how much and when is important. I will not have the slightest disobedience,” The Leviathan said, staring at Odysseus with crazed eyes.
Dimitri let out a low growl, and Dick looked at him. “Who do you think you are, little pup? I have more bite than your bark,”
***
I listened intently, some of my worst fears confirmed. The Leviathans were behind this, working with the Interlopers. I peeked up, watching through the window, to see Dick Roman pinning the Interloper to the wall, while the man stood, teeth bared. The black wolf was in there as well, glaring at the Leviathan.
On an old oak coffee table I saw packets of chemicals and cotton swabs on it, stinking up the room with its sterilization. I recognized some of it as a suture kit, but the rest seemed alien to me.
What were they using all of those chemicals for? Were they doing experiments? I wondered and suddenly I was tackled from behind, claws digging into my side.
I whirled around punching the person in the face, causing them to growl in agitation. She looked up, staring at me through her long locks of golden hair.
“Breanna?”
***********************************************************************************
We were silent for a moment, both of us summing the other up.
She was an Interloper in this world. The daemon and I thought in shock, how was that even a possibility? Did someone turn her?
She looked at me with regarding eyes, “So…you’re alive?”
She thought I was the Hope from this reality,
“As alive as you,” I pointed out, “Who turned you?”
She stared me down, the feather in her hair catching in the wind, finally she spoke, “…Dimitri turned me…” Then she continued to stare at me in skepticism, “How did you survive the car accident?”
My brows furrowed, did my alternate self die in this world? “Car accident? What are you talking about, and that doesn’t have anything to do with our problems right at hand,”
“Like?”
“Like why are you working with Leviathans!?” I hissed quietly, afraid the creature would hear. “They are nothing but bastards trying to take over the world. Why would you want any part of that?”
“Because he promised Odysseus equal shares, equal profit. Besides, there’s nothing left for me to try saving,” She pointed out smugly.
Something must’ve happened in this world, causing her to not give a damn, perhaps something happened to her family…but now was not the time to ask.
“Listen, do you realize that by having equal share he’ll just be whipping and enslaving you in chains? They have tried to kill me already.” I snarled. “I’ll die before I let them take over this damn planet.”
She glared, “Then you’ll have to go through me too. People are cruel, destructive creatures, they are selfish. This world needs a fresh start, and you’re welcome to join me, and my friends to become the next generation, or you can die.” She turned into the mountain lion, her body crouched down low, her eyes gleaming like emeralds. Then she lunged forward slashing me with her front claws.
The daemon took over, clamping down on her paw with her teeth. The mountain lion hissed, scratching my shoulder with her free paw, trying to push me away. My jaw clamped down tighter as I felt her wrist and paw shatter, shredding the muscle tissue as she tore it away.
“Bitch!” She snarled gripping her hand in agony. I bared my teeth at her, as I stepped towards her. My heart throbbed though, and I couldn’t attack her again, she was my friend right, even if she was from this world?
My ears flattened against my skull as I turned to walk away, swishing my tail in irritation. Suddenly I was tackled from behind, claws digging into my side as I was slammed into the ground, caught in a whirlwind of blood and claws. The mountain lion gripped her pearl fangs around my neck as I let out a strangled cry.
Suddenly she was off me, roaring at something nearby. “Come and get it Panther Bitch!” Dean shouted dropping the rock and pointing the gun at her.
I felt hands suddenly pushing against my neck, through the russet fur, trying to stop the bleeding. I switched my gaze and saw it was Breanna, the real one.
She quickly took a bandage gauze out and quickly wrapped it around my neck, attempting to stop the blood flow.
****
3rd Person Perspective
***
The panther hissed swiping Sam’s arm and lunged forcefully at Dean. There was a single shot then silence.
The mountain lion collapsed on top of him.
“Dean!!” Sam shouted as Hope lunged upright, running to him in panic. The feline was dead, its claws extended into Dean’s calf.
“Get it off of me,” He shouted and Breanna extended her hands, pushing on the pressure points of the paw until they released. She stared at the dead paw of her alternate self for a moment, before setting it on the ground. Sam finished pulling the lion off once it was no longer attached to Dean.
Blood swelled off of Dean’s calf and Hope clenched her neck with the palm of her hand as she said quickly, “We need to go, Dick Roman’s here.”
“So you did notice,” A haunting voice said. Dick Roman stood alongside Odysseus and Dimitri. Dean righted himself quickly, despite his wounded leg. Hope snarled, forcing herself between Dean, Sam, and Breanna.
“Don’t you dare come another step closer,” She snarled, teeth bared. “I will kill you.”
“I can do that.” He said with a twisted smirk and pulled out a fourty five, clicking off the safety and pointing the barrel right towards Hope.
He pulled the trigger.
That same moment he was broadsided by some invisible force, his gun falling one way, as he fell the other. Breanna shoved Hope out of the way, the bullet hitting her instead.
“Breanna!” Hope shouted, looking at her friend with worry as blood began to trickle down her arm. She breathed a sigh of relief, it was just her arm.
The Leviathan pulled himself off the ground.
“Get them!” He spat at Odysseus, who was watching him cautiously.
This Leviathan had just been slammed onto the ground by thin air. There was something amiss here, and Odysseus did not care to know what. He shook his head. “No.”
“What do you mean ‘no’” Dick shouted angrily.
“NOO!” Odysseus roared, bellowing at him while his eyes glowed savagely. “I will not.”
Dean smirked pulling out his own gun, “Looks like you’re on your own Dick.”
Bullets would not kill him, but Dean was in a rage, he pulled the trigger five times. Dick Roman’s face fell, realizing his only options were get to the gun to kill them or close combat.
He ran, like the sick, twisted coward that he was.
***
Hope’s P.O.V.
***
“How is Breanna dead!?” Dimitri asked in confusion, “She’s right here!” He looked at the Breanna which had been shot in the arm, refusing to look at the mountain lion collapsed on the ground.
“She tried to kill me,” I answered, “I didn’t have a choice. She would rather die than have me save humanity.”
Dimitri growled. “So, you’re responsible for this.” The ebony wolf pulled its lip back into a growl. I did the same, blood seeping from my bandages and unto the ground.
He ran forward. I gripped the scruff of this neck, twisting until he fell to the ground in the opposite direction, his blood heavy on my tongue.
He glared at me, his eyes finding the Breanna who was still alive. Then he pulled his human self to his feet.
“How could this happen?” He asked darkly, looking to Odysseus for guidance.
“They are from another reality, at least the girl who looks like Breanna is.” Odysseus explained, “There’s a symmetry in appearance, but they have different personalities.”
Breanna looked at me in confusion as I changed back into human form, tightening the bandages around my neck, “What are they talking about?” She asked.
My eyes fell on the cougar laying at Deans feet, “See that big cat there? That’s Breanna, your alternate self.” I answered.
Her eyes widened, “But…we…just killed me—her—why would she attack us!?”
My eyes narrowed, “Because we were not on her side. She was loyal to this bear,” My eyes fell on Odysseus, “and the Leviathan. She felt humanity deserved to be destroyed.”
She stared at me in shock, unsure of what to say.
“What was Dick Roman having you do?” Sam demanded, “I doubt you were stealing just for the hell of it.”
“Dick Roman wished to test his experiments on humans, but we ran trials to be sure.”
“To be sure what?”
“That we wouldn’t be creating monsters with the chemicals we used. That the only thing humans would experience is immediate death. And that the meat in the humans would not kill Leviathans.”
“Disgusting.” Breanna stated, wrinkling her nose.
“Now that we have turned on him, we will be targeted like everyone else. We must get going Dimitri.” Odysseus ordered. Dimitri’s eyes narrowed at me, as they turned to walk away.
Dean raised his pistol, “Just where do you think you’re going?”
Odysseus stopped and turned to glare at him, “Just to try to stop us.”
Dean pulled the trigger.
Nothing happened, only the momentary silence then the brown bear and the ebony wolf were gone, lunging through the treeline.
“Damn it,” Dean swore, “The gun must’ve jammed. Stupid piece of—”
KA—BOOM!!
The ground shuddered and the back end of the house began smoldering in flames.
I remembered all of the chemicals sitting on the table, and ninety percent of them were probably flammable. They did not want so much as a spark of evidence left in the place that they were there.
Back at the Interlopers hideout there was a back pasture with all of the cattle that had gone missing, from the road they would have not been noticed. Once we realized that these cows might contain the gene that would ultimately kill people, and it might not even be recognizable. The majority looked healthy and fat, but looks could be deseiving.
Dean pulled out a rifle and I saw Breanna’s eyes widen in shock.
“What are you doing!?” She asked.
“I’m putting them down,” Dean stated, Breanna’s eyes began to tear up.
“Why?” She asked, “They are free now, why not just leave them out here to roam?”
I looked at Breanna sadly, “I know, but they have been experimented on, if anyone got to them and processed their meat, a lot of people would die. This isn’t what you wanted, I know…but its the only way for us to be sure people aren’t dropping left and right.”
I looked at her green t-shirt, which had blood flowing down the sleeve of your arm. “Go on,” I urged, “Sam will take care of your arm, you won’t have to see this.”
She looked at me, and I knew she wanted to make and argument of this, but her arm was hurt and she had lost a lot of blood, so it had tired her out.
She turned to walk away, “Hey!” Dean called and she turned around, looking at him with tear filled eyes. “We will make sure they won’t suffer.” He promised. She turned around and kept walking, trying to control the tears of anger flowing down.
After we were done Dean limped with me out to the car the front of the house started catching fire as well. Dean was incapable of driving, so Sam started the engine, and we drove away.
*********************************************************************************************************************
A small elusive ranch home sat at a crossroad, the pine trees shifted in the breeze, leaving its unmistaken scent of blue spruce.
The home was small and simple, white sided with red colored shutters. A small picnic table laying under the trees and a swing set out back.
This was home.
Breanna and Sam were at the hotel patching themselves up, while I had taken Dean home. I smiled, a little proud of myself, even in alternate worlds home still looked the same.
There were no cars in the pebble stone drive. Leaving the place to us.
“So this is where you grew up.” Dean said as I leaned over a railing fence, watching the horses graze. He looked around, his eyes falling on everything, the freshly mowed yard, Isis running around the rustic pines, and his eyes fell on the house. “I think it suits you.”
“Thanks,” I smiled, this was perfect, and my world could be shared with him, only…this wasn’t my world.
Dean had a few things on his mind too, he brushed my neck where the puncture wounds are, “I’m glad you’re okay.” I looked at him in curiousity. “You wouldn’t have been if it hadn’t been for little Ms. Flower Power.” He joked.
“Yea I know,” I said gratefully, “I bet you didn’t expect that out of her did you?”
“Not for her to move so fast, if she hadn’t…” Dean did not want to imagine my death again, he had already seen it once. I think he realized how much he owed Breanna.
“I would not be here,” I finished. “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about earlier Dean. When this is all done…the whole Leviathan issue solved—I still have the Knife of Faint—and I want you to come back with me,”
He had been petting the horse’s neck, he stopped in shock. “Here? Why?”
“Because, once I told Bobby I didn’t want anything to happen to you or Sam. And I know I cannot stop that completely, but I want you to come home with me.”
Dean would have normally made a wise crack, how he already went “home” with me, but I had surprised him. “What about you, you still hunted even after you got back right?”
There was silence for a moment, as I tried to pick an adequate way to answer. “Yes, but I would hang it all up if it meant you and Sam got a fresh start. Dean, I know that this is the closest thing you can get to a fresh start. You weren’t able to get one before because all of the people of your past kept catching up with you, in this reality—my reality—no one would come knocking on yours or Sam’s door, wanting help with a case or anything like that.”
He was silent, mulling things over, he was so unsure. I grabbed him by his collar and kissed him on the lips, my neck aching as I craned it slightly for the kiss.
I gently took his wrist, “Just keep it in the back of your mind.” I said simply, leading him back to the car.
OK I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS ISSUE!!! PLEASE LEAVE A VOTE OR A COMMENT BECAUSE I'M DIEING TO HEAR FROM YOU GUYS!!! :D THANKS AGAIN!!